1. Field of the Invention
The field of art to which this invention relates is an animal grooming apparatus, in particular, to an animal grooming apparatus adaptable to various grooming tools which does not contaminate the surrounding environment of hair, dander, insects, and other airborne infestations (collectively referred to as debris) removed from the animal during the grooming process.
2. Description of the Related Art
The hair on cats and dogs go through growth and resting cycles (anagen and telogen phases, respectively) that occurs asynchronously (each follicle cycles independently) and continuously in the majority of breeds. There are similar processes in humans. The average human sheds about one hundred hairs daily. Medium to large dogs of the herding, working, or retrieving breeds can shed over 2000 hairs daily. Additionally, there is a more massive shedding twice annually related to seasonal cycles to produce a hair barrier appropriate for hot or cold environments. This seasonal shed occurs in a synchronous manner for several weeks.
One can hardly imagine the consequences of infrequent grooming of such animals whereby the homes of the pet owner soon become inundated with hair, dander, and surface debris. These elements deposit from floor to ceiling, sparing no crack or crevice, by way of air currents related to household vertical temperature gradients and drafts produced by ventilation systems or open doors and windows. Owners of such pets verify the increase in health-related problems, cleaning costs, filter replacements in forced air systems and the virtually impossibility of maintaining a home free of these elements. The only practical solution is to remove this debris from the 4-6 square foot surface of the pet's coat, before its deposition over the sixteen thousand cubic feet of the average two thousand square foot home.
Numerous hand held grooming devices, including rubber and metal curry combs or metal and plastic brushes and combs can effectively remove hair that is approaching the shed cycle as well as dander and surface debris. Additionally, fine tooth metal combs and metal saw-tooth curry combs can remove fleas and their larvae and eggs as well as deer ticks (responsible for Lyme disease) and the larger wood ticks (which may harbor the Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever organism). Understandably, the grooming process must be performed outdoors, in that the "harvest" from a typical German Shepard, ungroomed for only a month, sheds enough hair to weave into a ball of yarn. Grooming on at least a thrice-weekly schedule is mandatory to achieve the desired sanitary results. While the above grooming devices are effective, they present significant problems for the homeowner and professional groomer as well. Because they provide no method of isolating the "harvest" of the above debris, there exists the possible contamination of the groomer, the environment the animal uses for exercise, and finally, the transfer of these disease causing organisms from the groomer's clothing back into the home. Uncomfortable weather conditions and shortened daylight hours can diminish the required grooming frequency. Additional problems confront professional groomers, as they are required to service animals that may harbor fleas, their larvae and eggs as well as possible tick infestation. Without isolation of the groomed elements the groomer's health as well as the health of the animals within the salon is potentially at risk.
As a remedy to these problems, various devices have been developed and patented to permit the collection of the above elements by incorporating a grooming device attached to a vacuum source. None of these devices effectively allow grooming in a home or grooming parlor in which the debris from the coat of the animal being groomed is effectively contained.
What is needed is a vacuum assisted animal grooming apparatus which effectively removes loose and near telogen hair from both the outer and undercoat of an animal before they shed spontaneously, as well as dander, surface debris, and parasites, and which accomplishes this with the highest possible assurance that such elements are isolated from escaping into the environment in which the grooming is being performed.